New date, new course for Flatfish Invite
Don’t panic.
The high school golf season is far from over.
The Flatfish Invitational, normally the final regular-season event of the high school golf season, has a new spot on the calendar this fall.
Play is set for Monday and Tuesday, which signals the halfway point of the season.
“A little earlier than normal,” Whitefish coach Terry Nelson said of this year’s event.
“They moved the season up. We’re normally the last week of September.”
The early date is not the only thing new with this year’s event.
Whitefish Lake Golf Club, which has co-hosted the invitational with courses in Kalispell previous years, will share that duties this time with Indian Springs Ranch Golf Club in Eureka.
“We couldn’t find dates compatible between Buffalo Hill, Village Greens and Big Mountain with Whitefish,” Nelson said.
“They (Indians Springs) were delighted (to have us). It will be good exposure for them.
“They’ve been phenomenal,” he added.
“They have bent over backwards to help us. They’ve been great.”
Play starts Monday at noon with the boys at Indians Spring and the girls on the South Course at Whitefish Lake.
Action resumes Tuesday with the boys on the South Course at 8:45 a.m. and the girls at Indians Springs at 9 a.m.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the size of the field — 11 teams. Competing this year are Missoula’s Hellgate, Sentinel and Big Sky, Flathead, Glacier, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Hamilton, Stevensville, Libby and Browning.
The Whitefish girls, led by senior standout Kiley McConnell, will be looking to add another title to their list. The Bulldogs have already won tournaments in Anaconda and Ronan, while finishing third at Great Falls last week against a AA dominated field.
McConnell has been the medalist in all three outings.
The Whitefish boys have finished second, second and fifth in tournament play.
Reed Platke, a junior, has been a medalist, or a runner-up, in each outing.
“I’m really pleased,” Nelson said of his top two performers.
“They have played exceptionally well.”
Nelson said consistency has been their biggest asset.
“Solid all the way around,” he said.
“Both are mentally tough kids. They will grind it out when they have to.”
Nelson said freshman Arthur Doorn has shot in the 70s in all tournaments for WHS, while Camp Kenyon, a transfer from Missoula playing in the No. 3 spot, “is really doing a good job,” Nelson said.
“I’m pleased with him.”
On the girls side, Nelson said Danielle McCully, a senior, has played real well for the Bulldogs. Erin Tabish, a freshman, has played in the No. 3 spot, “and is doing a great job. I’m impressed with her improvement week to week.”
Flathead, unlike Whitefish, is fielding a young and inexperienced squad for boys and girls.
“I have young players, lots of potential going forward,” Flathead coach Lacy Kersten said.
Michael Lavin, a junior, had been the leader for the boys to date.
“He’s my most solid player,” she said.
“I expect him to come down five strokes in the next couple of tournaments.”
Lavin’s best round of the season is a 73.
Max Applegate, a sophomore, “shows promise,” Kersten said.
Andrea Battello, a senior, has been the most consistent player for the girls.
Flathead’s boys and girls have not finished in the top 10 in the team standings thus far.
Glacier, like Flathead, will be competing in its third AA tournament of the fall.
The Wolfpack boys tied for fourth at the Missoula Invitational, led by top 10 performers Ryan Porch and Tyson Howe, and were third at the Great Falls Invitational, paced by Porch and Logan Iverson, who both finished in the top 10.
Porch has shot 77 or better in both outings.
The Glacier girls are still looking to break into the top 10 in the team standings. They have placed 10th and 12th.
Shelby Ballard and Shea Stevens have been the Wolfpack’s top scorers in both outings.